U.S. patent application number 14/739962 was filed with the patent office on 2015-12-24 for inserts having geometrically separate materials for slips on downhole tool.
The applicant listed for this patent is Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC. Invention is credited to Nauman H. Mhaskar, James A. Rochen, Jonathan A. Young.
Application Number | 20150368994 14/739962 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 53434277 |
Filed Date | 2015-12-24 |
United States Patent
Application |
20150368994 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Mhaskar; Nauman H. ; et
al. |
December 24, 2015 |
Inserts Having Geometrically Separate Materials for Slips on
Downhole Tool
Abstract
A downhole tool, such as a fracture plug used during a fracture
operation, installs in a downhole tubular, such as casing. The tool
has a mandrel with a sealing element disposed thereon between
uphole and downhole ends. Slip assemblies on the mandrel can be
moved to engage the downhole tubular. When the tool is used as a
bridge plug, the uphole assembly supports the sealing element
compressed, and the downhole assembly supports fluid pressure
downhole of the tool. The slip assemblies have inserts composed of
at least two materials that are different from one another and are
geometrically separate from one another. In addition or as an
alternative, the slip assemblies can be composed of at least two
different materials that are geometrically separate from one
another.
Inventors: |
Mhaskar; Nauman H.;
(Cypress, TX) ; Rochen; James A.; (Waller, TX)
; Young; Jonathan A.; (Houston, TX) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Weatherford Technology Holdings, LLC |
Houston |
TX |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
53434277 |
Appl. No.: |
14/739962 |
Filed: |
June 15, 2015 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
|
|
62013835 |
Jun 18, 2014 |
|
|
|
Current U.S.
Class: |
166/217 ;
166/206 |
Current CPC
Class: |
E21B 23/01 20130101;
E21B 33/129 20130101 |
International
Class: |
E21B 23/01 20060101
E21B023/01 |
Claims
1. A downhole apparatus for engaging in a downhole tubular, the
apparatus comprising: at least one slip disposed on the apparatus
and being movable relative to the apparatus; and at least one
insert disposed on the at least one slip and adapted to engage the
downhole tubular, the at least one insert being at least composed
of first and second materials, the first and second materials being
different from one another and being geometrically separate from
one another.
2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one slip can
comprise a slip body composed of a non-metallic material.
3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the non-metallic material
comprises a plastic, a molded phenolic, a laminated non-metallic
composite, an epoxy resin polymer with a glass fiber reinforcement,
an ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW), a
polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), or a combination thereof.
4. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the at least one slip can
comprise a plurality of segments disposed about the apparatus.
5. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material comprises a
ceramic material.
6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the ceramic material comprises
alumina, zirconia, or cermet.
7. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the second material can
comprise a metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material.
8. The apparatus of claim 7, wherein the second material comprises
a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite material, a
cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof.
9. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein at least one of the first and
second materials comprises a dissolvable material.
10. The apparatus of claim 1, comprising: a mandrel having the at
least one slip disposed thereon; and a cone disposed on the mandrel
adjacent the at least one slip, the cone and the at least one slip
being movable relative to one another and moving the at least one
slip toward the downhole tubular.
11. The apparatus of claim 10, comprising a sealing element
disposed on the mandrel and being compressible to engage the
downhole tubular.
12. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material of the at
least one insert comprises a core of the at least one insert having
an outside surface; and wherein the second material of the at least
one insert comprises a sheath disposed about at least a portion of
the outside of the core.
13. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material of the at
least one insert comprises a core of the at least one insert having
an end; and wherein the second material of the at least one insert
comprises a layer disposed on the end of the core.
14. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material of the at
least one insert comprises first layers of the at least one insert;
and wherein the second material of the at least one insert
comprises second layers interposed between the first layers of the
at least one insert.
15. The apparatus of claim 14, wherein the first and second layers
are arranged at an angle relative to an axis of the at least one
insert.
16. The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the angle is orthogonal or
parallel to the axis of the at least one insert.
17. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the first material of the at
least one insert comprises a core of the at least one insert; and
wherein the second material of the at least one insert comprises
elements distributed inside the core.
18. A downhole apparatus for engaging in a downhole tubular, the
apparatus comprising: at least one slip disposed on the apparatus
and being movable relative to the apparatus, the at least one slip
being at least composed of first and second materials, the first
and second materials being different from one another and being
geometrically separate from one another; and at least one insert
disposed on the at least one slip and being adapted to engage the
downhole tubular.
19. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one insert is
at least composed of third and fourth materials, the third and
fourth materials being different from one another and being
geometrically separate from one another.
20. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the at least one slip can
comprise a plurality of segments disposed about the apparatus.
21. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first material comprises
a ceramic material.
22. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the ceramic material
comprises alumina, zirconia, or cermet.
23. The apparatus of claim 21, wherein the second material can
comprise a metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material.
24. The apparatus of claim 23, wherein the second material
comprises a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite
material, a cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof.
25. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first material comprises
a core of the at least one slip having an outside surface; and
wherein the second material of the at least one slip comprises a
sheath disposed about at least a portion of the outside of the
core.
26. The apparatus of claim 18, wherein the first material comprises
first layers of the at least one slip; and wherein the second
material of the at least one slip comprises second layers
interposed between the first layers of the at least one slip.
27. The apparatus of claim 26, wherein the first and second layers
are arranged at an angle relative to an axis of the at least one
slip.
Description
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
[0001] This is non-provisional of U.S. Application Ser. No.
62/013,835 filed 18 Jun. 2014, which is incorporated herein by
reference in its entirety and to which priority is claimed.
BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0002] Slips are used for various downhole tools, such as bridge
plugs and packers. The slips can have inserts or buttons to grip
the inner wall of a casing or tubular. Inserts for slips are
typically made from cast or forged metal, which is then machined
and heat-treated to the proper engineering specifications according
to conventional practices.
[0003] Inserts for slips on metallic and non-metallic tools (e.g.,
packers, plugs, etc.) must be able to engage with the casing to
stop the tools from moving during its operation. On non-metallic
tools, such as composite plugs, the inserts can cause the
non-metallic slips to fail when increased loads are applied. Of
course, when the slip fails, it disengages from the casing. On
non-metallic tools, the inserts also need to be easily milled up to
assist in the removal of the tools from the wellbore.
[0004] When conventional inserts are used in non-metallic slips,
they are arranged and oriented as shown in FIG. 1A, for example.
The slip 20 is disposed adjacent a mandrel 10 of a downhole tool,
such as a bridge plug, a packer, or the like. As shown in FIG. 1B,
the slip 20 moves away from the mandrel 10 and engages against a
surrounding tubular or casing wall when the slip 20 and a cone 12
are moved toward one another. Either the slip 20 is pushed against
the ramped surface of the cone 12, the cone 12 is pushed under the
slip 20, or both.
[0005] FIG. 2A illustrates a side cross-section of a slip 20 having
holes 23 according to the prior art for inserts (not shown), and
FIG. 2B illustrates a side cross-section of the slip 20 with
inserts 30 disposed in the holes 23. FIG. 2C illustrates a front
view of the slip 20 with the holes 23 for the inserts (not shown).
The slip 20 can have a semi-cylindrical shape. The holes 23 in the
surface of the slip 20 can be an array of blind pockets. The
inserts 30 are anchor studs that load into the holes 23 and can be
held with a press fit or adhesive.
[0006] Examples of downhole tools with slips and inserts such as
those above are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,984,007; 6,976,534;
and 8,047,279. Other examples include Halliburton Obsidian.RTM. and
Fas Drill.RTM. Fusion composite plugs and Boss Hog frac plugs.
(OBSIDIAN and FAS DRILL are registered trademarks of Halliburton
Energy Services, Inc.)
[0007] One particular type of downhole tool having slips is a
composite fracture plug used in perforation and fracture
operations. During the operations, the composite plugs need to be
drilled up in as short of a period of time as possible and with no
drill up issues. Conventional composite plugs use metallic wicker
style slips, which are composed of cast iron. These metallic slips
increase the metallic content of the plug and can cause issues
during drill up in horizontal wells, especially when coil tubing is
used during the milling operation.
[0008] Due to the drawbacks of cast iron slips, composite slips
having inserts, such as described above, are preferably used to
reduce the issues associated with metallic slips. Unfortunately, a
large amount of metallic debris can still collect at the heel of
the well and cause drill up problems when composite slips having
inserts are used on tools. When composite slips are used, for
example, the inserts are typically composed of carbide, which is a
dense and heavy material. In other developments, it is known to use
a composite slip having an insert composed of ceramic and an insert
composed of a metallic ceramic composite, such as described in U.S.
Pat. No. 6,976,534.
[0009] In any event, when the downhole tool having slips with
carbide inserts are milled out of the casing, the inserts tend to
collect in the casing and are hard to float back to the surface. In
fact, in horizontal wells, the carbide inserts may tend to collect
at the heel of the horizontal section and cause potential problems
for operations. Given that a well may have upwards of forty or
fifty bridge plugs used during operations that are later milled
out, a considerable number of carbide inserts may be left in the
casing and difficult to remove from downhole. Additionally,
non-metallic buttons used to bite into the casing may tend to
fracture due to loads applied onto them during the setting process.
This leads to a loss in structural integrity and inability to
retain the position of the bridge plug in the well
consistently.
[0010] The subject matter of the present disclosure is directed to
overcoming, or at least reducing the effects of, one or more of the
problems set forth above.
SUMMARY OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0011] A downhole apparatus or tool, such as a composite bridge
plug used during a fracture or perforation operations, installs in
a downhole tubular, such as casing. The tool can have a mandrel
with a sealing element disposed thereon. The sealing element can be
compressible to engage the downhole tubular when the tool is
activated by a wireline unit or the like.
[0012] A slip is disposed on the tool and is movable relative to
the tool to engage the downhole tubular. The slip can have one or
more slip bodies, segments, or elements disposed about the mandrel.
For example, the segments can be arranged around the tool and can
be individual or integrated segments, although other arrangements
for the slip can be used. The slip can be composed of a
non-metallic material, such as a plastic, a molded phenolic, a
composite, a laminated non-metallic composite, an epoxy resin
polymer with a glass fiber reinforcement, an
ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW), a
polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), etc.
[0013] One or more of the slips have one or more inserts composed
of at least two materials, which may or may not be the same as one
another. The materials are different from one another and are
geometrically separate from one another. For example, one material
may be a ceramic material, and the other material may be a
metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material. In another
example, one material may be aluminum or other metal, and the other
material may be tungsten carbide.
[0014] To achieve the geometric separation from one another, the at
least two materials can be arranged in different geometric
configurations on the insert, including layers, interposed central
cores, outer disposed sheaths, distributed elements, and the like.
Although the inserts have been primarily described herein as
including two materials, it is envisioned that the inserts can be
more than two materials in the geometric configurations disclosed
herein.
[0015] The ceramic material for the inserts of the slip can be
alumina, zirconia, or cermet. Use of the ceramic material can
reduce the overall metallic content of the tool and can facilitate
milling of the tool from the downhole tubular after use. The
metallic material for the inserts can use a cast iron, a carbide, a
cermet (i.e., composites composed of ceramic and metallic
materials), a powdered metal, or a combination thereof. One or both
of the materials of the insert can also be a dissolvable material
intended to dissolve or degrade over a period of time in response
to a trigger, conditions in the well, or the like.
[0016] The various arrangements noted herein can be interchanged
and combined with one another in accordance with the teachings of
the present disclosure. Additionally, the slip can be an individual
body or segment, a unitary ring, one of a plurality of independent
segments of a slip assembly, or one of a plurality of integrated
segments of a slip assembly. In one implementation, the slip can
comprise at least two materials that are different from one another
and that are geometrically separate from one another.
[0017] Although suitable for a downhole tool, such as a fracture
plug discussed above, the teaching of the present disclosure can
apply to any of a number of downhole tools for engaging in a
downhole tubular.
[0018] The foregoing summary is not intended to summarize each
potential embodiment or every aspect of the present disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0019] FIG. 1A illustrates inserts used in a non-metallic slip
according to the prior art.
[0020] FIG. 1B illustrates the slip of FIG. 1A during use.
[0021] FIG. 2A illustrates a side cross-section of a slip having
holes for inserts according to the prior art.
[0022] FIG. 2B illustrates a side cross-section of the slip with
inserts disposed in the holes.
[0023] FIG. 2C illustrates a front view of the slip with the holes
for the inserts.
[0024] FIG. 3 illustrates a downhole tool in partial cross-section
having slip assemblies according to the present disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 4 illustrates a cross-sectional view of a slip having a
first type of slip insert.
[0026] FIG. 5 illustrates a slip assembly having partially
interconnected segments.
[0027] FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate top, cross-sectional, and perspective
views of one configuration of a slip insert.
[0028] FIGS. 7A-7C illustrate top, cross-sectional, and perspective
views of another configuration of a slip insert.
[0029] FIGS. 8A through 10B illustrate perspective, cross-sectional
views of internal configurations of slip inserts according to the
present disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective, cross-sectional view of
another internal configuration of a slip insert according to the
present disclosure.
[0031] FIGS. 12A-12C illustrate cross-sectional views of a slip
segment according to the present disclosure.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DISCLOSURE
[0032] FIG. 3 illustrates a downhole tool 100 in partial
cross-section having slip assemblies 110U, 110D according to the
present disclosure. The downhole tool 100 can be a bridge plug as
shown, but it could also be a packer, a liner hanger, an anchoring
device, or other downhole tool that uses a slip assembly to engage
a downhole tubular, such as casing.
[0033] The tool 100 has a mandrel 102 having the slip assemblies
110U and 110D and backup rings 140 arranged on both sides of a
packing element 150. Outside the inclined cones 112, the slip
assemblies 110U and 110D have slips 120. Together, the slips 120
along with the cones 112 can be referred to as slip assemblies, or
in other instances, just the slips 120 may be referred to as slip
assemblies. In either case, either reference may be used
interchangeably throughout the present disclosure. Thus, reference
herein to a slip is not meant to refer only to one slip body,
segment, or element, although it can. Instead, reference to slip
can refer to more than just these connotations. As shown herein,
slip assemblies 110U, 110D can have the same types of slips 120,
but other arrangements could be used.
[0034] As a bridge plug, the tool 100 is preferably composed mostly
of non-metallic components according to procedures and details as
disclosed, for example, in U.S. Pat. No. 7,124,831, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety. This makes the
tool 100 easy to mill out after use.
[0035] When deployed downhole, the tool 100 is activated by a
wireline setting tool (not shown), which uses conventional
techniques of pulling against the mandrel 102 while simultaneously
pushing upper components against the slip assemblies 110U, 110D. As
a result, the slips 120 of the slip assemblies 110U, 110D ride up
the cones 112, the cones 112 move along the mandrel 102 toward one
another, and the packing element 150 compresses and extends outward
to engage a surrounding casing wall. The backup elements 140
control the extrusion of the packing element 150. In the process,
the slips 120 on the assemblies 110U, 110D are pushed outward to
engage the wall of the casing (not shown), which both maintains the
tool 100 in place in the casing and keeps the packing element 150
contained.
[0036] The force used to set the tool 100 may be as high as 30,000
lbf and could be as high as 85,000 lbf. These values are only meant
to be examples and could vary for the size of the tool 100. In any
event, the set tool 100 isolates upper and lower portions of the
casing so that fracture and other operations can be completed
uphole of the tool 100, while pressure is kept from downhole
locations. When used during fracture operations, for example, the
tool 100 may isolate pressures of 10,000 psi or so.
[0037] As will be appreciated, any slipping or loosening of the
tool 100 can compromise operations. Therefore, the slips 120 need
to sufficiently grip the inside of the casing. Inserts 130 on the
slips 120 engage in the casing.
[0038] At the same time, however, the tool 100 and most of its
components are preferably composed of millable materials because
the tool 100 is milled out of the casing once operations are done,
as noted previously. As many as fifty such tools 100 can be used in
one well and must be milled out at the end of operations.
Therefore, having reliable tools 100 composed of entirely of
millable material is of particular interest to operators. To that
end, the slip assemblies 110U, 110D of the present disclosure are
particularly suited for tools 100, such as bridge plugs, packers,
and other downhole tools, and the challenges they offer.
[0039] As shown in FIG. 4, one type of slip 120 for the assemblies
110 has a slip body or segment 122 with one or more individual
inserts or buttons 130 disposed therein. The segment 122 can be one
of several used on a slip assembly. For example, the segment 122
can be an independent slip component held around the tool's mandrel
as in FIG. 3 with other slip segments and supported by bands.
[0040] In general, the segment 122 has an incline 124 for riding on
a cone or other component of the downhole tool. Grooves 126 for
bands may be provided in the outer surface depending on how the
segment 122 is held to the downhole tool. In general, the segment
122 in FIG. 4 can have any number of inserts 130 arranged in one or
more rows and/or one or more columns in the top surface. For
instance, two rows of inserts 130 may be used, each having the same
number of columns. Alternatively, two rows can be used, but one row
may have two columns while the other has one column. These and
other configurations can be used as will be appreciated.
[0041] In one arrangement, the inserts 130 can be the same size and
can be disposed in equivalent sized holes 123 in the slip segment
122. In another arrangement, the depth of holes 123 can vary from
segment to segment or from slip assembly to slip assembly.
Therefore, one or more inserts 130 can be longer than the others.
Additionally, the height of the inserts 130 can be the same on the
given slip segment 122 once installed, but the depth of the holes
123 can vary. This can reduce the stress around the insert 130 in
the base material. Other arrangements may have the inserts 130 at
different heights and different depths relative to the slip segment
122.
[0042] In both cases, the slip body 122 can comprise one of several
independent segments of a slip assembly, such as on assemblies
110U, 110D shown in FIG. 3. As shown in FIG. 3, each body or
segment 122 can have the same arrangement and number of inserts
130, although different arrangements can be used. Additionally,
each segment 122 can be composed of the same or different materials
from the other segments 122, and each insert 130 on a given segment
122 may be composed of the same or different materials from the
other inserts 130. In other arrangements such as shown in FIG. 5,
the slip body 122 can be a unitary ring or can be a partially
integrated ring, as disclosed herein. Also as shown, the unitary
ring of the slip body 122 may include features 121, such as splits,
divisions, scores, slots or the like, to facilitate expansion of
the slip body 122 when pushed against the cone 112.
[0043] In general, the slip body 122 is composed of a first
material, and the one or more inserts 130 are composed of second
materials exposed in the body's outer surface. The first material
of the slip body 122 can generally be metal, composite, or the
like. Preferably, the slip body 122 is composed of a millable
material, such as a plastic, a non-metallic material, a molded
phenolic, a laminated non-metallic composite, an epoxy resin
polymer with a glass fiber reinforcement, an
ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW), a
polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), etc.
[0044] As disclosed in more detail below, the inserts 130 of the
present disclosure have internal configurations of at least two
materials that are geometrically separate from one another, having
multiple layers, components, elements, or the like. The materials
used for the inserts 130 can in general include metallic or
non-metallic materials. For example, the inserts 130 can be
composed of a carbide, a metallic material, a cast iron, a
composite, a ceramic, a cermet (i.e., composites composed of
ceramic and metallic materials), a powdered metal, or the like.
Additionally, the inserts 130 preferably have a sufficient
hardness, which may be a hardness equivalent to at least about
50-60 Rc. The powdered metal used can include a sinter-hardened
powder metal steel material, although other types of powder metals,
such as steel, iron, or high carbon steel materials can be used.
The ceramic material of the insert 130 can be reinforced with metal
or metal matrix composites (MMC).
[0045] Additionally, the materials used for the inserts 130 can be
a dissolvable material that dissolves over a period of time in
response to a trigger, a condition in the well, or the like. The
dissolvable material can be used for all of the materials of the
insert 130 or for one or more features of the insert's
configurations (e.g., layers, components, elements, or the like),
as disclosed below. Even if only a portion of the insert 130 is
dissolvable, then the insert 130 will reduce to a smaller button
size after use and there will be less material left in the
well.
[0046] As an example of using a dissolvable material, the slip
inserts 130 for the upper slip assembly 110U of FIG. 3 can use a
dissolvable material because the upper slip 110U may be used
primarily to hold back the packing element 150 during setting.
Therefore, the upper slip inserts 130 can be made at least
partially using a dissolvable material to reduce the amount of
metallic content during mill-up after a fracture operation has been
completed. Indeed, even the slips 120 of the upper assembly 110U
can be made at least partially using a dissolvable material in the
geometric configuration of the slips 120.
[0047] The shape of the inserts 130 can be the same or different
from one another. In general, the inserts 130 can be cylindrical as
shown in FIG. 4 or can have other shapes. For example, the insert
130 can have different geometries, such as those disclosed in U.S.
application Ser. No. 14/039,032, filed 27 Sep. 2013, which is
incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
[0048] For instance, FIGS. 6A through 7C show examples of suitable
geometries for the insert 130. FIGS. 6A-6C show top,
cross-sectional, and perspective views of a cylindrical shape for
an insert 130 of the present disclosure. The generally cylindrical
insert 130 can have a diameter of about 0.3150-in., as shown on the
top 132 of FIG. 5A. The overall height H1 can be about 0.375-in.
These and other dimensions discussed herein are merely meant to
provide example values.
[0049] FIGS. 7A-7C show top, cross-sectional, and perspective views
of another configuration for the insert 130 for the present
disclosure. This insert 130 is also generally cylindrical with a
diameter of 0.375-in., as shown in FIG. 7A. The insert 130 has an
overall height H2 of about 0.423-in. The top end 132 of the insert
130, however, is cusped. Leading and tailing sides of the top end
can be angled at 45-degrees. Other possible configurations for the
insert 130 are disclosed in incorporated U.S. application Ser. No.
14/039,032. In fact, the inserts 130 can have other shapes rather
than cylindrical buttons and can instead have the shape of an
elongated strip, such as a wicker, or have other shapes as
disclosed in incorporated U.S. application Ser. No. 14/039,032.
[0050] To get consistent results and not degrade the mechanical
integrity, the inserts 130 of the present disclosure have internal
configurations of the materials that are geometrically separate
from one another, having multiple layers, components, elements, or
the like. In particular, the inserts 130 depicted so far in FIGS. 3
through 7C have an inner core layer surrounded by an outer layer.
FIGS. 8A through 11 illustrate perspective, cross-sectional views
of internal configurations of slip inserts 130 according to the
present disclosure.
[0051] For example, the insert 130 may be composed primarily of a
ceramic and can then have one or more metal, non-metal, or
composite layers interposed therein and/or disposed thereabout. The
layers can be used as a shield to protect the insert 130 during the
setting process. For example, FIG. 8A shows the insert 130 having a
core 140 composed of a first material surrounded by an outer shield
142 composed of a second material. In FIG. 8B, the same geometry is
used, but the first and second materials are reversed. Although
only two different materials are shown in these embodiment (as well
as in any other embodiment disclosed herein), it will be
appreciated with the benefit of the present disclosure that at
least two materials can be used so that additional embodiments can
include more than two materials in accordance with the present
teachings.
[0052] In the arrangement of FIG. 8A, for example, the core 140 can
be composed of a ceramic material disposed in the outer shield 142
composed of a metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material.
FIG. 8B is the reverse of this. In another option, the core 140 can
be composed of a powdered metal, and the shield 142 can be composed
of a different metal or a tungsten carbide. Alternatively, the core
140 can be tungsten carbide, and the shield 142 can be composed of
a different material. These and other variations can be used.
[0053] As shown in FIG. 9A, the insert 130 includes a core 140
composed of a first material having a top layer 144 of a second
material disposed thereon. This top layer 144 can be a metal, a
non-metal, or a composite material disposed on the core 140, and
the top layer 144 can be used as a shield to protect the core 140
during the setting process. As one example, the core 140 can be
composed of a ceramic, while the top layer 144 is composed of a
tungsten carbide. As another example, the core 140 can be composed
of a metal, while the top layer 144 is composed of a tungsten
carbide. A reverse arrangement of the materials for the layer 144
and core 140 can also be used.
[0054] FIGS. 9B-1 and 9B-2 show a variation on this where the
insert 130 again has a core 140 and a top layer or tip 144. The
core 140 can be composed of a metal, such as a "lighter metal" like
aluminum, while the cap 144 can be composed of tungsten carbide or
the like. In FIGS. 9C-1 and 9C-2, yet another variation of the
insert 130 has a core 140 and an outer cap 146. Again, the core 140
can be composed of a metal, and the outer cap 146 can be composed
of tungsten carbide. With the benefit of the present disclosure, it
will be appreciated that other variations of the materials can be
used.
[0055] In yet another arrangement of FIG. 10A, the insert 130 has
multiple alternating layers 145a-b of a ceramic material and a
metal, a non-metal, or a composite material disposed orthogonally
to the axis A of the insert 130. This arrangement can enhance the
insert's hardness. Alternatively as shown in FIG. 10B, the insert
130 has multiple alternating layers 145a-b of a ceramic material
and a metal, a non-metal, or a composite material disposed parallel
to the axis A of the insert 130. In yet another alternative, the
layers 145a-b can be arranged at other angles relative to the axis
A of the insert 130.
[0056] FIG. 11 illustrates a perspective, cross-sectional view of
yet another internal configuration of a slip insert 130 according
to the present disclosure. In this configuration, elements 148
(e.g., spheres, flakes, shards) of metal, non-metal, or composite
material are distributed into a core 142 composed of another
material (e.g., ceramic) during the manufacturing process to
incorporate hardness and mitigate the propagation of fractures in
the ceramic material during the setting and loading process. The
elements 148 can be substantially consistent with one another in
size and shape and may be distributed evenly, although variations
may be used.
[0057] Although not explicitly depicted, it will be appreciated
with the benefit of the present disclosure that inserts 130
according to the present disclosure can use various combinations of
the arrangements disclosed above. As such, use of layers,
interposed central members, outer disposed members, distributed
elements, and the like disclosed above can be combined together
with one another to form additional configurations suitable for the
inserts 130 of the present disclosure. Moreover, any number of the
inserts 130 used on a slip may have the same or different
configuration.
[0058] Not only can the inserts 130 benefit from the arrangements
disclosed herein. In fact, the slip 120 in which the inserts 130
are used can having comparable arrangements of layers, interposed
central members, outer disposed members, distributed elements, and
the like disclosed above. As examples, FIGS. 12A-12B illustrate
cross-sectional views of a slip 120 according to the present
disclosure having inserts 130.
[0059] In these embodiments, the body 122 of the slip 120 is
composed of different materials. For example, the body 122 in FIG.
12A has a combination of first and second layers 126, 128 stacked
on top of one another along the length of the body 122. One of
these layers 126 can be composed of a ceramic material, while the
other layers 128 can be composed of a second material (e.g., metal,
non-metal, or composite). Other variations of material can be
used.
[0060] As shown in FIG. 12A, the slip body 122 can be composed
primarily of the ceramic material of the first layers 126, and the
second material (e.g., metal, non-metal, or composite) disposed in
the second layers 128 can be dispersed in the slip body 122. The
layers 126, 128 can run along the axis or plane of the slip body
122, although other arrangements can be used.
[0061] By contrast, the slip body 122 in FIG. 12B can be composed
primarily of a core 125 of a first material, such as a ceramic
material. An outer cover 127 of a second material (e.g., metal,
non-metal, or composite) can be disposed in a layer (at least
partially) around the core 125. Other variations of material can be
used.
[0062] Further in line with the embodiments of the inserts, the
slip body 122 as shown in FIG. 12C can have a comparable
arrangement of first and second materials as the insert in FIG. 11.
Namely, elements 129 (e.g., spheres, flakes, shards) of a first
material are distributed into a core 125 composed of another
material during the manufacturing process to incorporate hardness
and mitigate the propagation of fractures in the core material
during the setting and loading process. The elements 129 can be
substantially consistent with one another in size and shape and may
be distributed evenly, although variations may be used.
[0063] The slip 120 with these arrangements can carry higher loads
than conventional composite slips, while the ceramic in the
material will help break up the slip 120 during a mill-up, post
fracing operation. The slips 120 can likewise have other
configurations and orientations, such as those disclosed in
incorporated U.S. application Ser. No. 14/039,032.
[0064] Manufacturing the inserts 130 and/or slips 120 with the at
least two materials as disclosed here depends in part on the types
of materials being used. It will be appreciated that suitable
bonding between the materials is required in some of the
arrangements, such as layers, caps, tips, etc. Overall, bonding one
of the materials to another of the materials disclosed herein can
use composite manufacturing techniques. For example, bonding
between surfaces of the materials in the disclosed arrangements can
involve one or more of preparing the surfaces, applying adhesive,
curing the adhesive, and applying pressure. Molding of the
materials in the geometric arrangements can also be used depending
on the materials involved, such as for embedded elements in a core
material. Brazing, welding, and the like can also be used between
the materials of the arrangements, such as between layers, core and
surrounding shield, etc. Manufacturing the inserts 130 and/or slips
120 with the at least two materials can also involve press fitting
the materials of the arrangements together.
[0065] Embodiments of the present disclosure can be characterized
as follows. A downhole apparatus for engaging in a downhole tubular
comprises at least one slip disposed on the apparatus and being
movable relative to the apparatus toward the downhole tubular. At
least one insert is disposed on the at least one slip and is
adapted to engage the downhole tubular. The at least one insert is
at least composed of first and second materials being different
from one another and being geometrically separate from one
another.
[0066] The at least one slip can comprise a slip body composed of a
non-metallic material, and the non-metallic material comprises a
plastic, a molded phenolic, a laminated non-metallic composite, an
epoxy resin polymer with a glass fiber reinforcement, an
ultra-high-molecular-weight polyethylene (UHMW), a
polytetrafluroethylene (PTFE), or a combination thereof. The at
least one slip can comprise a plurality of segments disposed about
the apparatus, such as about a mandrel of the apparatus.
[0067] The first material can comprise a ceramic material, which
can be alumina, zirconia, or cermet. The second material can
comprise a metallic, a non-metallic, or a composite material, which
can be a cast iron, a carbide, a metallic-ceramic composite
material, a cermet, a powdered metal, or a combination thereof.
[0068] The apparatus can have a mandrel having the at least one
slip disposed thereon and can have a sealing element disposed on
the mandrel and being compressible to engage the downhole
tubular.
[0069] In one embodiment, the first material of the at least one
insert comprises a core, and the second material of the at least
one insert comprises a sheath disposed about an outside of the
core. In another embodiment, the first material of the at least one
insert comprises a core, and the second material of the at least
one insert comprises a layer disposed on an end of the core. In yet
another embodiment, the first material of the at least one insert
comprises first layers, and the second material of the at least one
insert comprises second layers interposed between the first layers.
The first and second layers can be arranged at an angle relative to
an axis of the at least one insert. For example, the angle can be
either orthogonal or parallel to the axis of the at least one
insert. In still another embodiment, the first material of the at
least one insert comprises a core, and the second material of the
at least one insert comprises elements distributed in the core.
[0070] Additional embodiments of the present disclosure can be
characterized as follows. A downhole apparatus for engaging in a
downhole tubular comprises at least one slip disposed on the
apparatus and being movable relative to the apparatus toward the
downhole tubular. The at least one slip is at least composed of
first and second materials being different from one another and
being geometrically separate from one another. At least one insert
is disposed on the at least one slip and is adapted to engage the
downhole tubular. This at least one insert can also be composed of
third and fourth materials being different from one another.
[0071] The foregoing description of preferred and other embodiments
is not intended to limit or restrict the scope or applicability of
the inventive concepts conceived of by the Applicants. It will be
appreciated with the benefit of the present disclosure that
features described above in accordance with any embodiment or
aspect of the disclosed subject matter can be utilized, either
alone or in combination, with any other described feature, in any
other embodiment or aspect of the disclosed subject matter.
[0072] In exchange for disclosing the inventive concepts contained
herein, the Applicants desire all patent rights afforded by the
appended claims. Therefore, it is intended that the appended claims
include all modifications and alterations to the full extent that
they come within the scope of the following claims or the
equivalents thereof.
* * * * *